Shloka 43
Secondary Creation Begins: Brahmā’s Productions, the Guṇas, and the Emergence of Orders of Beings
त आत्मसर्गं तं कायं पितर: प्रतिपेदिरे । साध्येभ्यश्च पितृभ्यश्च कवयो यद्वितन्वते ॥ ४३ ॥
ta ātma-sargaṁ taṁ kāyaṁ pitaraḥ pratipedire sādhyebhyaś ca pitṛbhyaś ca kavayo yad vitanvate
The Pitās (ancestral fathers) accepted that subtle, unseen body, the very source of their existence. Through this subtle form, at the time of śrāddha, those learned in sacred rites offer piṇḍa and water-oblations to the Sādhyas and to the Pitās, the departed ancestors.
Śrāddha is a ritualistic performance observed by the followers of the Vedas. There is a yearly occasion of fifteen days when ritualistic religionists follow the principle of offering oblations to departed souls. Thus those fathers and ancestors who, by freaks of nature, might not have a gross body for material enjoyment can again gain such bodies due to the offering of śrāddha oblations by their descendants. The performance of śrāddha, or offering oblations with prasāda, is still current in India, especially at Gayā, where oblations are offered at the lotus feet of Viṣṇu in a celebrated temple. Because the Lord is thus pleased with the devotional service of the descendants, by His grace He liberates the condemned souls of forefathers who do not have gross bodies, and He favors them to again receive a gross body for development of spiritual advancement.
FAQs
In this verse, the Pitṛs are the forefathers who preside over ancestral lines, and the Sādhyas are a class of celestial beings; from these groups, the sages further expand progeny within the cosmic order.
This verse states that after the Pitṛs accepted a particular self-generated form, the wise sages (kavayaḥ) expanded creation/progeny through the lines connected with the Sādhyas and Pitṛs.
The verse highlights continuity and duty across generations—honoring lineage, living responsibly, and supporting family and community as part of a larger divine order.